“This has been discussed for as long as I’ve been on the board, eight-plus years, and definitely as long as I’ve lived in Kenilworth.”
Village President Cecily Kaz shared those words at the Kenilworth Beach groundbreaking ceremony on September 17, 2025. Standing at the beach overlook alongside trustees, village staff, and the team from Bulley & Andrews, she was marking an important milestone for a project many residents had anticipated for years.
Kenilworth Beach officially reopened on July 1, just in time for a summer heat wave. The swimming beach, new bathhouse, and upper plaza welcomed residents back, but that reopening was only the first chapter.
Throughout the season, construction fencing remained around the new pedestrian ramp, lower beach plaza, and Devonshire Lane entrance. With those final elements scheduled for completion near the end of summer, the beach is now approaching its second, and more meaningful, opening.
A Project Completed in Two Phases
The Beach Improvement Project has unfolded in two distinct phases.
Phase One focused on shoreline protection: reinforcing the deteriorated steel-sheet-pile groin at the north end of the beach and adding protective stone to reduce further erosion. Work began in October 2024 and continued through May 2025.
Phase Two introduced the improvements residents will experience more directly:
- A new bathroom facility
- An ADA-compliant pedestrian ramp
- New concrete stairs
- Updated landscaping
- A redesigned beach plaza with less concrete and more usable gathering space
The original goal was to complete this phase before Memorial Day weekend 2026. Construction continued beyond that date, and the beach reopened five weeks later, on July 1, with several areas still in progress.
As of this summer:
- Open: the swimming beach, new bathroom building, and upper plaza
- Nearing completion: the pedestrian ramp, lower beach plaza, and Devonshire Lane entrance
When the beach reopened, Village Manager Kathy Thake described it as “a gem for the community.” She also emphasized the importance of what was still to come: once the ramp opened, access would become easier for all beachgoers.
Why the Final Improvements Matter
The remaining work is much more than cosmetic.
The new ramp extends from Kenilworth Avenue to beach level and is designed to meet ADA accessibility standards. It will provide a more comfortable route for people with limited mobility, as well as families navigating the beach with strollers, wagons, towels, chairs, and toys.
The redesigned plaza also includes a foot-washing station and a combined stair-and-ramp design with wide seating integrated into the descent.
These additions will not change the view of Lake Michigan. They will change how people experience it, who can reach the beach more easily, how families move through the space, and how comfortably residents can gather there.
That is why this second opening is the one that truly counts.
A Significant Community Investment
The cost of Phase Two evolved as construction progressed. Initially estimated at $6.98 million, the village later increased the maximum budget to approximately $7.68 million as project costs exceeded early projections.
Funding included authorization from a bond referendum allowing the village to issue $2.5 million in bonds. The community also raised more than $500,000 toward the beach plaza.
It represents a significant civic investment, both financially and personally, in a place that plays an important role in village life.
Although residents were able to enjoy portions of the improved beach this summer, the 2027 season will be the first full season in which the entire project, including the new accessible route to the sand, can be experienced as intended.
A Few Helpful Updates for Beachgoers
The construction was not the only change at Kenilworth Beach this year.
Beach passes moved to a digital format, allowing residents to display their passes on a phone rather than carry a paper card. Seating and shade options are also available for complimentary daily rental, either on a first-come basis or by reserving through the beach website one day in advance.
The designated swimming area is marked by two red buoys and staffed by lifeguards during operating hours. Lifeguard coverage is limited to the south swimming beach; the area farther north belongs to the Kenilworth Sailing Club and operates under separate rules.
Beyond the Beach
Early fall is also a wonderful time to experience Kenilworth beyond the lakefront.
The Green Bay Trail follows the Metra tracks through the village and continues north toward Highland Park, offering an easy route for walking or biking. A few blocks inland, Mahoney Park provides a quieter setting with native plantings, a nature trail, and lake views.
Kenilworth’s architectural history is another defining part of the community. The Kenilworth Historical Society, in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center, is offering two remaining architecture walking tours this year: September 4 and September 27 at 1:30 p.m., departing from the Kenilworth Train Station.
The tours highlight homes designed by George W. Maher, Franklin Burnham, Joseph Lyman Silsbee, George Nimmons, and John Van Bergen. Many were built between the 1890s and 1920s, when Kenilworth was taking shape around founder Joseph Sears’ original vision for the village.
Looking Ahead to a Full Season
Major community projects rarely unfold in a perfectly straight line. They move in phases, encounter delays, and often cost more than initially anticipated. Their real impact is not measured at a groundbreaking or ribbon-cutting, but in the way residents use them once the work is complete.
Kenilworth Beach has technically been open since July 1. But the version that improves access, creates more room to gather, and makes a day at the lake easier for more residents is only now coming fully into view.
Next Memorial Day will mark the beginning of the first complete season for the renewed beach. After years of planning, construction, and community support, that will be the opening worth celebrating.
Kenilworth’s character is found in details like these: a beach project years in the making, architecture that continues to draw admirers more than a century later, and a community that remains deeply invested in the places it shares.
At The Kasey Group, we pay close attention to the changes shaping Kenilworth and the greater North Shore, not only for clients considering a move, but also for the neighbors who call these communities home.
If you are curious about what is happening in the local market or what these community investments may mean for your property, we would be happy to start a conversation.
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